Central Japan gets its very first Pokéfuta.

Which Pokémon species is the best? That’s a touchy question. Some would say Pikachu, since he’s got the most star power, while the voters in the most recent Pokémon of the Year poll showed their support for Greninja. Neither one can claim to be the most powerful or rarest breed, though, both of which could be criteria for choosing who’s the “best.”

But the weakest Pokémon? That’s a question with a simple and definite answer: Magikarp! But the legendarily weak Water-type’s lack of combat capabilities makes it all the more endearing to fans, and now Magikarp can claim not only its own character theme song, but induction to Japan’s real-world Pokémon manhole cover club!

The new Pokéfuta (as the covers are called in Japanese) were unveiled in the city of Ojiya at a ceremony presided over by Pikachu and mayor Shoichi Otsuka (dressed, appropriately, in a Magikarp hat). Why Ojiya? Because the town in the highlands of Niigata Prefecture is considered to be the birthplace of Japan’s decorative koi fish-raising culture (“koi” is even part of Magikarp’s name in Japanese-language versions of the Pokémon anime and video games, Koiking).

▼ Magikarp/Koiking doing its famous Splash pose next to a pond of koi/carp

A total of four Magikarp manhole covers were installed on November 26, making them the first Pokéfuta in Japan’s central Chubu region.

▼ Location of the Magikarp Pokéfuta within Niigata

In addition to the standard version, there’s also one that features the golden Shiny Magikarp.

Pokéfuta also often feature guest stars, and in this case Magikarp is joined by fellow fish Feebas…

…and natural predator Pidgeotto, seen here taking advantage of Magikarp’s propensity for leaping up into the sky for no good reason.

▼ We’re tempted to call Pidgeotto a monster, but we think there’s a line in the Bible about “Let he who has never eaten a Magikarp cast the first stone.”

The exact locations of the Magikarp Pokéfuta can be found here on the official Pokémon manhole cover website. Oh, and don’t worry, they haven’t forgotten that Magikarp is only the weakest Pokémon until it evolves.

Source: PR Times
Top image: PR Times
Insert images: PR Times, Pokéfuta official website
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